Cigarette conditioner



oci, i, 39456. W. RED y 2,408,481

CIGARETTE CONDITIONER Filed Aug. 17, 1944 IN VEN TOR.

n each cigarette before smoking Y inhaled and exhaled. The

f the smoke and'produces Patented Oct. 1, 1946 UNITED STATE CIGARETTE ooNDl'rIoNEn Willard mia, New York, N. YQ Application August 17, 1944, Serial No. 549,890 l 5 claims. (o1. :i1- 625) This invention relates to a cigarette moistening and conditioning device for use by individual smokers whereby they can meisten and freshen The principal purpose or obJect of my invention 5 i is toprovide a convenient, quick-acting andelectual cigarette moistening or reconditioning device to mitigate the irritating effects of dry cigarette smoke. Its use is particularly indicated for cigarette smo-kers when alicted with a cold; sore throat, tcnsilitis, bronchitis, sinus and gland infections, hay fever, chronic cigarette cough and any respiratory inammation,

It is a matter of common knowledge 'and experience that dry cigarettes are relatively harsh and irritating to the membranes of the nose, throat and respiratory tract. Indeed, leading cigarette manufacturers themselves continually tell the public through theirV advertising and radio broadcasts thatv dry cigarettes are harsh and irritating. Some claim to use superior moisture-retaining agents in processing their tobaccos, Others, superior sealing in of the have found it imperative to original moisture in the package and still others that their cigarettes stay fresher longer" due to^`Y special treatment.

The significance of all'this is the frank admission that dry cigarettes are harsh and irritating,

while moist, fresh cigarettes are relatively harmq,

ff-30, coming into contact with the cigarette.V

less to sensitive membranes.

Unfortunately, once cigarettes are shipped'to market, their ultimate condition, uponfreaching the consumer, is beyond elective control by the 1 l manufacturer. vIn winter time and the long season of artid-535 cially'heated quarters, packaged cigarettes tend to become excessively dry. i

Such cigarettes burn relatively fast and their smoke is relatively ho-t, acrid and dry, tending' to absorb moisture from the respiratory tractxwhe'nf effect is harsh and irritating to sensitive membranes and especially so when inflamed due to colds, etc.

The main importance of moisture in a cigarette.-

- is that it will vaporize as the cigarette is smokedg by combustion, blends with the sensation and effect of relative smoothness and mildness and freedom The vapor, released from the irritating effects of dry cigarette smoke 50 when inhaled and exhaled.

Through protracted experiments I discovered, however, that a moist cigarette, Lper se, does not yield the results I sought. For example, -moistening the entire mass of the tobacco ller in a dry cigarette by the relatively slow methodbf ab-- my invention is to provide a sorption, ends to injure the flavor and taste of the cigarettewithout compensating resultsA in mitigating the irritating qualities of the smoke.

Such a means of providing desirable moisture is also muchtoo slow, sincea primary object of device whereby the user can quickly vand. conveniently moisten each individual cigarette prior to smoking it and do this in such manner that the reconditioned cigarette is ready for immediate lighting andrsmcking. Any tediousoperations ordelays would be objectionable and defeat their own purposes.

In processing tobaccos, prior to fabrication, alcoholic liquids are often employed as mellowing agents, rum being a favorite.

I have found that the quickest and most effective reconditioning .results are obtained by the use of .a volatile liquid such as potable alcoholic liquors .including whiskey,- brandy, gin, rum or dilute alcohol. v f

Even usingsuch volatile moistening agents, I prevent contact of the liquid directly with the tobacco filler of the cigarette, such as atan open, exposed end of the cigarette. Due to the highly absorbable nature ofA dry tobacco and the speed vwith which it will suck up liquid, even through the Vvpaper wrapper of` a dry cigarette, I have found it most important to prevent any substantial, body 'ofliquid `from the smoke and not the tobacco being smoked, re-

sultingin a cool, bland nonirritating smoke,

After-protracted experiments I discovered that I could produce a similar effect by:

l. Theuse of a volatile agent such as diluted alcohol or other alcoholic liquors such as whiskey,

brandy, gin, rum, etc.

2. Means to establish a Awetting contact with the cigarette substantially conned to the' body of the cigarette between its open ends.

g 3.v Means to substantially restrict contact of thewetting agent to the paper wrapper of the cigarette under such control of the user as'to produce substantially a skin deepmoisture laden perimeter without deep enough penetration Vthe liquid.L

of the. tobacco ller of the cigarette to adversely aifect the burning qualities, aroma or taste of any given cigarette so treated. Y

4. Means tov prevent contactfof the-cigarette vbeing moistened with any substantial body of When moistened in such manner and with such agents, Athe cigaretteI is ready for immediate lighting and smoking. The rate of combustion of the relatively dry tobacco core of the cigarette andv the wet, readily vaporizable perimeter is satisfactorily synchronous.

The inherent brillianceof taste. iiavor and aroma is unimpaired and the smoke is remarkably smoo-th, gentle, non-acrid and free from harsh, rasping, irritating sensations when inhaled and exhaled.

An object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive, compact and self-.contained device adapted to be carried in a vest pocket or to be placed on a table or desk for convenient use.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide an individual cigarette moistening device adapted to moisten a cigarette around its periphery. or portions thereof, and between its free ends and adapted to enable the user to substantially control or determine the degree of such peripheral wetting of the cigarette being treated.

The device of my invention consists essentially of a liquid container and a conditioning tube associated therewith.

The conditioning tube is preferably square in shape and provided with a plurality of openings in its Walls communicating with the container. The conditioning tube is also preferably encased intermediate its open ends, in an outer sleeve formed of a covering layer of absorbent material adapted .to have portions thereof pressed into the wall openings of the tube to form absorbent bulges or nodules inside the tube.

The container may be in the form of a drawn metal, or a molded plastic receptacle with open bottom and an opening in a side wall adjacent the top.

The conditioning tube may be formed separately and installed in the container prior to sealing on the bottom of `the container. By suitable locking and sealing means the tube and container are cemented together in leak-proof manner at the wall opening. The forward end of the tube may project through the wall opening of the container and is provided with la leak-proof snap action cover. The conditioning tube is preferably formed with deep serrations at its rear end.

My invention provides a cigarette moistening device capable of quickly producing a superflcially moist cigarette without deleterious moistening of the mass of its tobacco filler.

In the accompanying drawing, I shour a device illustrative of my inven-tion.

Fig. 1 is a, top plan view of the assembled device.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly broken away showing the tubular conditioner in its installed position.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 3*-3 of Fig. 2, looking into the conditioner tube from its front proiecting end.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3 showing the absorbent nodules inside the conditiener tube and an inserted cigarette in contact with them.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the snap action cover in closed position.

Fig. 6 is a cross section of another form of my conditioning tube.

The device of my invention in its preferred form consists of a container member I0, a conditioner member II, and a conditioning tube I2.

The container member Ill may be made of metal, preferably non-rusting, or of glass or of plastic material adapted, in its finished form, to serve as a leak-proof liquid reservoir.

The conditioner member I I consists, in its preferred form, of an assembled unit comprising a conditioning tube member I2 and an absorbent covering sleeve I5.V The covering sleeve is preferably enough shorter than the tubular member to provide an uncovered neck portion adapted to be attached to a wall of the container I0 through an opening therein and an uncovered serrated inner end portion adapted to permit rapid flow of liquid into and out of the conditioner II.

In the preferred form of .the device of my invention the conditioning tube member I2 is square in shapeaand is installed in the container member I0 With one of its square ycorners pointing downwardly therein, for a purpose later described.

In its preferred form, as illustrated in the drawing, the square conditioning tube I2 has a plurality of openings or perforations I3 intermediate its end portions and one or more serrations I4 at its inner end. In this form the conditioning tube member I2 has an absorbent sleeve covering I5 intermediate its end portion. This sleeve covering I5 is so applied to the tube member I2 as to provide protruding bulges or nodules I6 of the absorbent covering I5 inside the conditioning tube member I2 for purposes later described.

After complete assembly the container I0 is lled with a liquid to a level preferably about one-half inch below the conditioner II, to avoid splashing it in ordinary handling,

To charge or wet the conditioner II close cover and upend the container I0. Liquid Will then surround the conditioner I I, wetting the absorbent sleeve member I5 and it will also flow into the conditioning tube I2 through the serrations I4, wetting the walls and the absorbent nodules I6 protruding therein.

Upon restoring the device to its normally upright position, most of the liquid will quickly flow out of the conditioning tube I2 through the end serrations I4, leaving the walls and nodules I6 moist. The trough, formed by the downwardly `positioned corner of the tube, will trap any residuum of undrained liquid.

The diameter of the conditioner -between opposite walls and between the surfaces of opn positely disposed nodules is enough greater than the diameter of a standard cigarette, to permit loose, easy insertion and withdrawal of a cigarette.

Standard brands of cigarettes are substantially round in shape. When such a cigarette is inserted in the square conditioner I I, only portions of the longitudinal surface, or paper wrapper of the cigarette vwill come into contact with the walls and wet nodules I6 of the conditioner II. Thus the wetting eiect upon the cigarette will be restricted to such limited contacts, plus absorption by the paper wrapper beyond actual Contact lines. Since the trough in the lowest corner of the tube I2 will have trapped any undrained residuum of liquid and the round cigarette body does not extend into such trough, wetting is substantially conned to the contacts established.

By gently inserting and withdrawing the cigarette without any appreciable period of timing,

very little moisture will be conveyed to the cigarette. If more wetting is desired, the cigarette may be inserted and then withdrawn after an interval of time.

Still greater degree of wetting lof the cigarette may be accomplished by wobbling or rotating it before withdrawal.

In another form or my invention, I use an oval or egg-shaped conditioning tube without any absorbent sleeve covering, as illustrated in the drawing. In this form the conditioning tube 20 has, preferably, one or more serrations at its inner end similar to the square tub-e, or other relatively large opening into the liquid container I and a plurality of small perforations 2| in its walls, said perforations being beveled or having countersunk portions 22 inside the tube 2G adapted to hold globules of liquid 23 by capillary attraction after the conditioning tube has been supplied with and drained of liquid. Such globules provide means for wetting the periphery of a cigarette when inserted in the conditioning tube.

By providing ample clearance between the cigarette and the wall of such tube by difference of diameters, a degree of control of wetting the cigarette is aiorded the user.

This form is not as effective as the covered conditioning tube .and lacks the advantage of the absorbent nodules in retaining moisture, once u charged, for conditioning many individual cigarettes without recharging.

The use of a volatile liquid such as whiskey, gin, rum, brandy or other potable alcoholic liquid is desirable for use in my device, in preference to water, for example, because such liquids act more quickly in wetting the perimeter of a cigarette, do not tend to discolor the paper wrapper and vaporize more readily as the cigarette is smoked.

Such volatile liquids are readily obtainable and my device is easily filled and refilled by the user through the outer open end of the conditioning tube.

Iclaim:

1. In a cigarette conditioning device a liquid container and a cigarette conditioner communieating therewith internally and having an opening externally thereof, said conditioner comprising a tubular member having a plurality of wall orices intermediate its ends and seri-ations at its inner end providing an opening directly into said container and a sleeve-like covering of absorbent material intermediate its ends, said covering having portions bulged through said Wall oriiices to form absorbent nodules inside said tubular member.

2. In a cigarette conditioning device a liquid container and a cigarette conditioner said conditioner comprising a tubular device having an opening within said container and an opening externally thereof adapted to be sealed by an opening and closing cover, said tubular device adapted to be supplied with and drained of liquid by upending said container and again restoring it to its normally upright position and means within said tubular member to provide moisture conveying means to the paper wrapper of a cigarette when inserted therein, in addition .to any film of moisture that may be present on the walls thereof.

3. In a cigarette conditioning device, a liquid container and a cigarette conditioner, said conditioner consisting of a within said container adjacent the top thereof, and having openings internally and externally thereof, said tubular device having moistureretaining means inside thereof adapted to transfer moisture to the periphery of a cigarette of standard type when inserted therein, said moisture retaining means being supplementary to any film of moisture adhering to the walls of said. tubular device after liquid has flowed into and out thereof.

4. A cigarette conditioning device comprising a liquid container having a tubular cigarette conditioning member positioned adjacent the top thereof and above a predetermined liquid level therein, said tubular member being connected with said container and having an opening externally thereof whereby a substantially round cigarette of standard type may be inserted therein, said tubular member having an opening internally of said container whereby liquid therein may flow into and out of said tubular member by manual manipulation of said container and means internally of said tubular member whereby after it has been so manipulated, globules of liquid will be retained therein adapted to create a superficial wetting of said cigarette between its open ends, when inserted therein.

5. A cigarette `moistening device adapted to provide a supercially wetted perimeter of a standard type of cigarette .between its open ends, said device consisting of a liquid container and a tubular moistening member having an opening internally and externally thereof, said internal opening adapted to permit liquid from the container to flow into and out of said tubular member by proper manual manipulation of said container and means within said tubular member to retain some of such liquid in addition to the normal lm adhering to the walls of said tubular member whereby such liquid will provide means to moisten the periphery of a standard type of cigarette when it is inserted in said tubular moistening member.

WILLARD REID.

tubular device installed 

